Louis van Gaal has been relieved of his duties as coach of Bayern Munich with immediate effect, the German club has confirmed.

The 59-year-old was due to leave at the end of the season but his departure has now been brought forward, with the club fourth in the Bundesliga and struggling to ensure qualification for next season's Champions League.

Van Gaal led Bayern to the league title last season, his first at the club, and also to the final of the Champions League. His assistant Andries Jonker will take charge until the end of the season, when Jupp Heynckes will succeed him as the new permanent coach.

Club bosses Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Uli Hoeness, Karl Hopfner and the director of sport, Christian Nerlinger, held crisis talks and subsequently informed Van Gaal of their decision to go separate ways last night after returning from Nürnberg, where the team drew 1-1.

"The board, director of sport and president of Bayern took this decision together," read a statement from the club. "After the 1-1 draw in Nürnberg yesterday and the renewed slide to fourth in the table, and with the threat of missing out on the minimum aim of a place in the Champions League next season, this decision was taken in Bayern's best interests.

"Louis van Gaal's assistants Frans Hoek, Jos van Dijk and Max Reckers have also been relieved of their duties."

Bayern currently trail third-placed Hannover by a point and, were the season to end now, they would only be playing in the Europa League next season.

Since the final of the Champions League will be held at the Allianz Arena next year, failure to even qualify for the competition would be a severe disappointment for Bayern, who will now end the season without a trophy.